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Title: Stollen Home Made Best Made
Categories: Dessert
Yield: 12 Servings
| INGREDIENTS | ||
| 3 | 4 cups all-purpose flour | |
| 1 | ts | Salt |
| 1/4 | oz | Packet dry yeast |
| 1/2 | c | Warm (105 degree to 115 degree F) milk |
| 1/3 | c | Sugar |
| 8 | oz | Unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons, melted |
| 2 | tb | Cognac |
| 1 | c | Blanched almonds, chopped |
| 1 1/2 | c | Raisins, chopped |
| 1/3 | c | Mixed candied citrus peel |
| 1 | tb | Grated zest of lemon |
| Sifted confectioners sugar | ||
| INTRODUCTION | ||
The distinctive oval shape of this traditional German Christmas cake is said to represent the Christ child wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Total time: 4 hours.
Step 1: Into a large bowl, sift 3 cups of flour with the salt. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in half the milk. Make a well in the center of the flour and salt mixture; then add the yeast and milk, sugar, 2 sticks of butter, and cognac. Mix well to combine, adding enough additional flour to form a smooth, elastic dough.
Step 2: On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out and knead for 3 minutes. Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat well with oil. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 1 hour.
Step 3: On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough. Knead in the almonds, raisins, citrus peel, and zest. Allow the dough to rise once more until almost doubled in bulk.
Step 4: Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a 10-inch round. Fold the round almost in half, flatten, and shape to form an oval. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and let stand in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the stollen with melted butter. Bake, brushing with butter every 10 minutes, for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. When cooled, wrap in several layers of foil and store in the refrigerator--the cake will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. To serve, slice thinly, wrap the slices in foil, and warm in a moderate oven for 15 minutes, or toast the slices. Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
For more delicious recipes and great ideas for wrapping and packing homemade treats try: Gifts from the Kitchen
MM format by Fred Ball
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